In spite of the smoky air and heatwaves, construction crews in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) have been working through the weather, advancing an array of projects that will continue to reshape the region and its communities. From affordable housing to premium condominiums, industrial buildings to school infrastructure, the transformation is everywhere. Let's embark on a quick tour of some prominent sites that have recently started construction over the past month.
Progress is visible on the site of the Ontario Line's Queen Station at 176 Yonge St, another Metrolinx project that is slowly - but surely - expanding Toronto's public transit network. An excavated square section in the middle of the intersection of Queen West and James Street signals the beginning of the underground transit expansion.
An excavated section of the road for the Ontario Line: Queen Station, image by UT Forum contributor kotsy
Crosstown Community: Generations (Block 5A)
From developers Aspen Ridge Homes and Larco Investments, a drone's eye view of the site reveals an impressive expanse of construction. Digging is underway for two levels of underground parking while the steel skeleton of a new structure is already emerging. This frame will ultimately grow into another mixed-use building above Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East.
Crosstown Community: Generations (Block 5A), image by UT Forum contributor James1256
CityHousing Hamilton has broken ground at 55 Queenston Road and construction is now firmly underway, with vehicles ready for foundation work. This six-storey building will house 40 units, marking a positive boost in Hamilton's affordable housing suply.
Construction is now underway on the Hamilton site of 55 Queenston Road, image by UT Forum contributor Branden Simon
Branksome Hall: Innovation Centre & Studio Theatre
Meanwhile, at 10 Elm Avenue in Toronto's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, the site of Branksome Hall's impending Innovation Centre & Studio Theatre is showing some new activity. The arrival of a flatbed truck and construction equipment is setting the stage for the three-storey building to rise at the northeast corner of Elm Avenue and Mt. Pleasant Road.
Flatbed truck has arrived onsite for Branksome Hall's Innovation Centre & Studio Theatre, image by UT Forum contributor rbt
The groundbreaking ceremony at 908 St Clair West signalled the start of work on the site, which will soon see a Canderel Residential and KingSett Capital development rise. The 12-storey, 173-unit residential building is set to change the streetscape of St Clair West Village.
The Lawrence Hill project at 71 Curlew Drive is off to a robust start. With developer MTB Group at the helm and designs by Arcadis, the project will see the construction of six different buildings, each standing four storeys, providing a total of 222 new units to the Parkwoods community, located on the eastern edge of North York. Concrete pillars and a towering crane highlight the construction activities underway.
Concrete pillars and towering crane onsite for Lawrence Hill, image by UT Forum contributor enter username
Moving on to the One Thirty Eight development located at 33 Avenue Road, work here is picking up pace. Coming from the team of Cityzen Development Group, Greybrook Realty Partners, and First Capital, this 29-storey, 65-unit tower with a unique massing and balcony design is set to transform Yorkville and Avenue Road, and is getting things started with an active crane on site.
This affordable housing project by the City of Toronto, designed by Montgomery Sisam Architects, is in the West Hill neighbourhood at the northwest corner of Kingston Road and Orchard Park Drive. Excavators are on site to begin the process of bringing to life the five-storey, 64-unit building at 4626 Kingston Road, which is part of HousingTO's 2020-2030 Action Plan.
Construction vehicles are onsite for 4626 Kingston Road, image by UT Forum contributor enter username
At 763 Queen St East, construction for Biblio Lofts has commenced. Developer NVSBLE, along with architects BDP Quadrangle, are working together to bring a seven-storey residential project featuring 28 units to the Riverdale neighbourhood. The arrival of a shoring machine signals the next stage of construction.
Industrial construction is also underway at 895 Milner Avenue, on the site of a project by Morguard Corporation and designed by Powers Brown Architecture. The single-storey building's steel frame is beginning to take shape, aided by a construction lift. This addition to Toronto's industrial landscape will further reinforce the area's economic growth and development.
The steel frame for the single-storey industrial site of 895 Milner, image by UT Forum contributor enter username
That wraps up our tour of the latest construction starts in the GTHA. To learn more about any of the projects from today's story, you can visit their respective database files linked below; from there, you can also join in on the conversation by visiting the project thread. In the meantime, we will continue to follow the progress of these projects and keep you informed with the important updates as they come.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.